I was slogging through the Eye of the World and decided I needed something quick and sad because I am glutton for punishment. Angel of Greenwood was a book I was hoping to get to last weekend but read a lot of books with heavier topics and needed a break.
This weekend I was ready to read it but nervous because it is 280 page book that seemed like it wanted to cover a lot. Would the length and storyline be ruined because it was too short? So why did I decide to read it?
T This: Why did I read *This* book?
I decided to read it because I knew absolutely nothing about the Tulsa Race Riots until last year. African American history and the brutality that white men and woman have/continue to inflict upon them is often white washed or ignored. 2020 was an awful year, with an awful fucking president and world where black men and woman were fighting to be heard. These race riots came up during all of this and I wanted to learn more but I was not in the mental space to do so. This book was on my radar because it seemed like a lighter book that covered a heavier topic? I thought it would intrigue me and help me learn a bit about these awful events.
A Atmosphere: How did it make me feel? What was the world like? This might include overall tone.
This book made me feel so much. It is a short book but I felt like the author was able to make the characters come alive. The tone started out light. Two black teens getting to know each other and falling in love. I believe this book was set in Greenwood because at one time it was idyllic. It was a place where black men and woman could fall in love and not have to worry about racism. It was a utopia so to speak. That is the tone I got. The book focused a bit on race but you got to see how different racism was for the individuals in Greenwood. In many ways they were safe and free of it compared to their counterparts living in other parts of the country.
S Style: What was the writing style like? Simplistic or sophisticated? Clunky or beautiful?
The writing was simplistic but I still felt like the author was able to character build and make the book come alive. I think the writing was one of the weaker points because of how simplistic it was. Would I recommend it? Yes, but is the writing something I could say was best ever? No. I would say that the story was important to read and learn.
P Plot/Pace: Was it engaging? Were there holes? Did it feel too rushed or too long?
I did not notice any plot holes but I typically do not unless they are glaringly obvious. I felt like this book slogged a bit towards the end and made me a bit bored. It's a short read so this definitely brought the rating down.
E Enjoyment: Was it a chore to finish or compelling enough that I picked it over other fun activities?
I enjoyed this novel for the most part. Like I said, there were some slow portions that dragged it down a bit but I still found myself wanting to read more to find out what would happen. This novel also made me eager to read a non fiction account of what happened in Greenwood.
C Characters: Were they believable, sympathetic, interesting?
I liked the characters. I think they were well developed and you feel for them and you want the best for them. It is a love story and it was a bit instalovey but, also, they were teenagers falling in love for the first time so it makes sense. I loved that at the core of this novel was a love story. It showed how horrible racism is while also showing how life should be safe for black men and woman.
This was a four star read for me. I think it intrigued me enough to pick up a nonfiction book about Tulsa Massacre. It is definitely something that highlights the awfulness of racism, both overt, passive and systemic. It festers and destroys. Kind of like what we saw throughout the last four years and the tension finally exploded into the chaos of 2020.
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